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Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.7.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

US shale revolution hinges on exports, say executives (via Houston Chronicle)

Railway says fuel savings inspired LNG test (via Houston Chronicle)

Enbridge CEO interested in providing natural gas for trains (via Houston Chronicle)

New York State Assembly votes to block fracking until 2015 (via Reuters)

GREEN BUSINESS

Clean energy, transportation posed to create 110,000 jobs (via Sustainable Business)

Wal-Mart beats 20% emissions reduction goal a year early (via BusinessGreen)

COAL

Weak global coal market threatens low-margin mines (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES

Japan’s wind industry headed for boom after solar surge (via Bloomberg)

Green investing update (via AOL Energy)

Despite major growth, SolarCity shares drop on Q4 loss (via GigaOm)

Wind energy lessons from Illinois: Q&A with AWEA’s Rob Gramlich (via Midwest Energy News)

SMUD launches pilot to study the grid impacts of solar (via Renew Grid)

Clean energy coalition ups ante on renewable energy in Minnesota (via Pioneer Press)

Minnesota lawmakers consider rate-based solar power incentives (via Star-Tribune)

ENERGY POLICY

Fossil fuels still fastest-growing global energy source (via Energy Manager Today)

Dearth of skilled workers imperils $100 billion in US projects (via Bloomberg)

US oil and gas boom takes many by surprise (via NBC News)

California CEOs say current energy policies helpful but too complicated (via Renew Grid)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Top 1% of US homes consume 4 times more electricity than average (via Outlier)

Energy efficiency cut 107TWh of US electricity demand in 2011 (via CleanTechnica)

The industrial sector: low-hanging fruit for demand response? (via Renew Grid)

Chicago buildings aggregate energy data to participate in better demand response (via Energy Manager Today)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Canadian official: Keystone rejection wouldn’t harm US-Canada relationship (via The Hill)

Four factors that could turn Keystone’s fate (via Politico)

Canada pitches oil sands crude as greener choice for US (via Houston Chronicle)

Keystone XL critics now hang hopes on delaying the pipeline (via Reuters)

GRID

EEI expects $15 billion in transmission investment this year (via Renew Grid)

US smart meter market is far from saturated (via Greentech Media)

Heating and cooling no longer majority of US home energy use (via US EIA)

CLIMATE

Misunderstanding seal-level rise and climate impacts (via Science Blogs)

How climate change worsened violence in Syria (via Mother Jones)

EPA, DOE can tackle climate change on several fronts (via Washington Post)

Climate change turns an already troubled ski industry on its head (via High Country News)

Washington governor, senators disagree on terms of climate-change bill (via Seattle Times)

OIL

Saudi Aramco committed to US oil exports, says CEO (via Bloomberg)

German oil executive: country’s clean energy dream now a “nightmare” (via Houston Chronicle)

Texas oil production may hit record by 2020, says state regulator (via Bloomberg)

BP CEO: no retreat from Gulf of Mexico despite spill (via The Hill)

TRANSPORTATION

EV efficiency should be ranked on miles/KWh, not MPGe (via Green Car Reports)

FedEx Express fleet beats 20% fuel economy improvement goal, sets new target of 30% improvement by 2020 compared to 2005 (via Green Car Congress)

GM targets lower car weight, long-range EVs (via Reuters)

ENVIRONMENT

Bangladesh, India, China at “high-risk” from natural disasters (via RTCC)

UK consumer consumption footprint more than 1½ times its land area (via BusinessGreen)

Endangered or not, species at least no longer waiting (via New York Times)

House votes to increase weather satellite funding (via Climate Central)

Texas shields free-market habitat program from federal scrutiny (via Greenwire)

NUCLEAR

Feds look to ship Washington radioactive waste to New Mexico (via Post-Intelligencer)

Hanford nuclear leak: budget cuts threaten cleanup efforts (via Politico/AP)

POLITICS

Harry Reid: the closet environmentalist (via National Journal)

Obama pick for Interior Department faces hearing; agency under fire (via Reuters)

Interior nominee Jewell championed outdoor jobs over oil (via Bloomberg)

OPINION

Why food riots are likely to become the new normal (via The Guardian)

Better Place was supposed to revolutionize electric cars – what went wrong? (via Washington Post)

BP CEO: “peak oil” talk quieted by abundance (via The Hill)

Are environmentalists wrong about Keystone XL? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: | Categories: awea, Bangladesh, better place, BP, california, canada, chicago, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Demand response, DOE, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Enbridge, endangered species, Energy benchmarking, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, ev, Extinction, FedEx, fracking, Fuel economy standard, germany, GM, green business, green jobs, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hanford, harry reid, Illinois, india, interior department, investment, japan, Keystone XL, LNG, minnesota, natural gas, Natural gas export, new york state, News, nuclear, offshore drilling, oil, Oil exports, peak oil, renewables, Rob Gramlich, Sally Jewell, saudi arabia, Saudi Aramco, Sea level rise, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, smart meter, SMUD, solar, SolarCity, Subsidy, Syria, tar sands, texas, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, wal-mart, Washington State, wind

Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.6.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS

US scientists report big jump in heat-trapping CO2 (via AP)

China boosts energy and emissions goals after record smog (via Bloomberg)

Report: EU must retire carbon credits or see market credibility lost (via BusinessGreen)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Utilities saved enough energy in 2011 to power 9 million US homes (via Greentech Media)

LED lighting to grow 40% in 2013, Phillips executive says (via Bloomberg)

Cree launches an LED bulb for under $10 (via GigaOm)

$65 billion saved in California with energy efficiency (via EarthTechling)

Texas A&M cuts energy bills $140 million despite expanding campus (via Bryan-College Station Eagle)

ENERGY INDUSTRY

Report: US oil and gas production up despite drop on federal lands (via The Hill)

RENEWABLES

US “$1.6 billion clean-energy surplus” with China (via Recharge)

The emerging opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s solar market (via Greentech Media)

Sequester: Treasury cuts renewable energy grants 8.7% (via Greentech Media)

(more…)

Posted: | Categories: arctic, barack obama, california, canada, cap and trade, Carbon market, carbon tax, China, coal, Cree, drought, emissions, Energy Department, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, Ernest Moniz, EU, European Union, fracking, Fuel economy standard, germany, Gina McCarthy, grid, honda, Hugo Chavez, india, investment, Keystone XL, LED, los angeles, natural gas, News, nuclear, Ocean acidification, offshore drilling, oil, plug-in hybrid, politics, Rare earths, renewables, Sally Jewell, saudi arabia, Sequester, Shale gas, Shale oil, smart grid, solar, State Department, statoil, tar sands, texas, transmission, Transportation, Treasury Department, Venezuela

Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.4.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

ENERGY POLICY

China atop renewable energy ranks as shale gas changes the game (via CleanTechnica)

Analyst says US renewable energy policy superior to Europe’s (via Renew Grid)

The rising energy policy power of America’s tribes (via Recharge)

Obama to tap McCarthy to lead EPA, Moniz for Energy secretary (via The Hill)

Natural gas challenges coal as king of the energy hill in Ohio (via Los Angeles Times)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Japan to build LNG terminal for US shale gas imports (via Pakistan Business Recorder)

New research says natural gas boom still has a few decades left in it (via StateImpact Texas)

Pennsylvania fracking health study will decide New York, shape policy around US (via Facts of the Day)

Bakken Shale’s top producer wants to snuff out natural gas flaring (via Midwest Energy News/EnergyWire)

Natural gas leaks come under scrutiny, raise questions on climate impact (via Washington Post)

A snapshot of drilling on a national park’s margins (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES

Solar stunner: unsubsidized “grid parity has been reached in India” and Italy, with more countries coming in 2014 (via Climate Progress)

Green investors take fright at German bid to cap power prices (via Reuters)

Ontario grid to see significant boost in renewable energy integration (via Renew Grid)

Three percent of US electricity could come from river hydropower (via CleanTechnica)

California city wants to require solar on every home (via Greentech Media)

Solar struggles to shine in deregulated Texas electricity market (via StateImpact Texas)

Minnesota’s Goodhue wind project faces blowback (via Finance & Commerce)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

State Dept: denying Keystone XL would not slow oil sands development (via Forbes)

Railroads emerge as alternative to pipeline for moving Canada’s oil sands (via Washington Post)

Keystone XL pipeline report slammed by activists and scientists (via The Guardian)

New Obama Administration report on Keystone XL pipeline has enviros worried (via Mother Jones)

CLIMATE

China carbon tax may spur US climate debate (via Bloomberg)

Australian climate on “steroids” after hottest summer (via Phys.org)

UK businesses urged to prepare for more extreme weather (via BusinessGreen)

Climate change science poised to enter nation’s classrooms (via InsideClimate News)

How NASA scientists are turning LA into one big climate-change lab (via Atlantic Cities)

ENVIRONMENT

Critic of unbridled growth tipped as new China environmental minister (via Reuters)

Asian and African dust influences western US rain and snowfall – study (via ClimateWire)

Chemical spill in China underlines environmental concerns (via New York Times)

Court ruling keeps polar bear as threatened species (via The Hill)

EPA funding reductions have kneecapped environmental enforcement (via National Journal)

OIL

Standard & Poors warns oil firms could soon face credit downgrades (via BusinessGreen)

Transocean, Halliburton say their Gulf spill tabs should be BP’s burden (via Houston Chronicle)

BP wins appeal on Gulf oil spill insurance claim (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION

Honda to reuse rare earths from old batteries for new hybrid vehicle batteries (via Green Car Congress)

Automakers work to achieve zero-waste goals (via New York Times)

The part of Amtrak that people use makes money – the rest doesn’t (via Slate)

Oregon proposes 1.5-cent-per-mile tax for EVs, 55+ mpg cars (via Autoblog Green)

GRID

How ARPA-E is working to create the 21^st century smart grid (via Greentech Media)

Will drones soon help utilities repair the grid? (via Renew Grid)

Texas electric supply will be “very tight,” says grid operator (via Houston Chronicle)

NUCLEAR

Report casts doubt on Britain’s nuclear electricity strategy (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Green building movement takes hold worldwide (via Sustainable Business)

US homes show greatest seasonal variation in electricity use (via US EIA)

Nearly 30 percent of US homes have ditched incandescent light bulbs (via Greentech Media)

POLITICS

McCarthy: seasoned regulator primed for climate fight (via Politico)

Gov. Jerry Brown works to spread California’s green doctrine (via Los Angeles Times)

ARPA-E director worries the agency could “get lost” in fiscal talks (via Greentech Media)

OPINION

Coal is history, or is it? (via Forbes)

What’s on the chopping block in energy and environment policy? (via National Journal)

Stop comparing early hybrid sales to early EV sales (via Plugin Cars)

Posted: | Categories: Amtrak, ARPA-E, australia, Bakken Shale, barack obama, battery, BP, california, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, department of energy, Efficient lighting, electric vehicles, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, Ernest Moniz, Ernst & Young, europe, ev, Extreme weather, Flaring, fracking, germany, Gina McCarthy, green building, grid, Grid Parity, Gulf of Mexico, Halliburton, honda, hybrid, Hydropower, Incandescent light bulb, india, italy, japan, Jerry Brown, Keystone XL, LNG, los angeles, Methane leakage, minnesota, NASA, natural gas, Natural gas export, Natural gas flaring, new york state, News, nuclear, oil, oil spill, ontario, oregon, pennsylvania, Polar bear, Rare earths, Recycling, renewables, Severe weather, Shale gas, smart grid, solar, tar sands, texas, Transocean, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, wind, Zero waste

Mar

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 3.1.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

ENERGY POLICY

US energy intensity projected to continue steady decline through 2040 (via US EIA)

Bipartisan group says US energy policy “like an orchestra without a conductor” (via Midwest Energy News)

Green jobs survey dies as US readies sequestration cuts (via Bloomberg)

GRID

Global utility smart grid spending almost doubles in 2012 (via Renew Grid)

Industrial demand response peak load payments to hit $4.3 billion by 2019 (via Energy Manager Today)

44% of US broadband households willing to let utilities monitor appliances (via Renew Grid)

27 microgrid projects advance in Connecticut (via New Haven Register)

KEYSTONE XL

Canadian government hopes US will do “right thing” on Keystone (via Houston Chronicle)

Canada minister doesn’t expect US to veto Keystone pipeline (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES

Brazil said to be readying tax breaks for ethanol (via Bloomberg)

European offshore wind “faces €50 billion funding gap” (via Recharge)

India’s wind power generation-based incentive set to resume (via Recharge)

(more…)

Posted: | Categories: alaska, arctic, Aubrey McClendon, australia, barack obama, Beijing, BP, Brazil, california, canada, cap and trade, carbon tax, Chesapeake, China, climate, Climate Change, colorado, Connecticut, Demand response, desalination, DOE, duke energy, emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy intensity, environment, ethanol, feed-in tariff, FIT, Florida, fracking, Fracking ban, fukushima, global warming, green jobs, grid, Gulf of Mexico, india, IPCC, japan, kansas, Keystone XL, LNG, Microgrid, natural gas, Natural gas exports, News, noaa, north dakota, nuclear, nuclear waste, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Sea ice melt, Sequester, Shale gas, Shale oil, Shell, smart grid, smart meters, Smog, solar, Solar forecasting, South Korea, uk, united kingdom, usda, Water, wind

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.19.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

EMISSIONS

EU Parliament approves plan to bolster carbon trading market (via New York Times)

EU gets behind ETS, but carbon price falls (via Recharge)

Researchers prove air pollution causes heart attacks (via Forbes)

Minnesota coal plans cut mercury emissions in half (via Duluth News Tribune)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Oil sands mining uses up almost as much energy as it produces (via InsideClimate News)

Rupert Murdoch reveals Keystone XL opposition on Twitter (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE

UN says Arctic needs protection from resource rush as ice melts (via The Guardian)

Climate contraction: less snow, more blizzards (via AP)

RENEWABLES

Renewable energy standards hitting blockades (via energyBiz)

Record year for US wind increases demand for service technicians (via Sustainable Business)

Two bills promoting geothermal energy reintroduced in US Senate (via Renewable Energy World)

Clean energy is a net positive on North Carolina utility rates, says report (via Energy Manager Today)

Biggest solar farm in eastern US coming to North Carolina (via Sustainable Business)

Is Iowa paying to help other states meet renewable goals? (via Midwest Energy News)

Proposed Nebraska incentives for wind energy up in the air (via Omaha World-Herald)

Washington State utility breaks wind energy generation record (via Renew Grid)

GRID

China’s army tied to hacking against US grid, energy industry (via New York Times)

A new electricity model for the US grid (via Energy Collective)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

German doubts about fracking could prove costly (via Reuters)

Poland to ease environmental rules slowing shale exploration (via Bloomberg)

US natural gas exports could spur manufacturing (via Energy Collective)

Natural gas use for transport rises 26% from 2008 to 2011 (via Facts of the Day)

Investors are subsidizing natural gas consumers – but it won’t last (via Christian Science Monitor)

ENVIRONMENT

Arctic sea ice volume plunges over a third in less than 10 years (via Mongabay)

Floating islands to the rescue for Midwest runoff pollution (via New York Times)

OIL

US shale oil reviving East Coast refineries (via Boston Globe)

TRANSPORTATION

Electric cars unevenly green around world – study (via EarthTechling)

Chinese car companies likely Fisker investment partners (via Los Angeles Times)

Can 10,000 charging stations make New York City America’s top EV market? (via CleanTechnica)

Is tomorrow the most important day ever for Tesla Motors? (via Green Car Reports)

GREEN BUSINESS

The case for natural capital accounting (via GreenBiz)

NUCLEAR

A strategy to prevent the next Fukushima (via New York Times)

US nuclear generation drops for two years running (via Facts of the Day)

POLITICS

Why Republicans should embrace the reality of climate change (via Forbes)

Gore pans climate change media coverage (via Politico)

Could Chris Christie bring the GOP around on climate? (via Mother Jones)

OPINION

At climate rally, some signs of fraying in a movement’s big tent (via Grist)

The politics of emissions: Keystone is an easier target than US coal-fired power plants (via Globe and Mail)

Climate rally: how a pipeline became public enemy no. 1 (via Christian Science Monitor)

“Energy independence” alone won’t boost US power (via Council on Foreign Relations)

Problems with precision and judgment, but not integrity, in Tesla test (via New York Times)

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.18.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Green groups rally on climate, urge Obama to reject Keystone XL (via The Hill)

Canada defends climate record amid Keystone XL protests in US (via Canadian Press)

Canadian ambassador slams press coverage of Keystone XL pipeline battle (via The Hill)

Oil sands tailings leaking into groundwater, Canadian Natural Resources Minister told in memo (via Canada.com)

Nebraska utility says transmission project for Keystone XL will be delayed (via Houston Chronicle/AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Shale LPG poised to make US net exporter for first time (via Bloomberg)

Fracking is only way to achieve Obama climate goals, says senior scientist (via The Guardian)

Apache natural gas well has leak beneath floor of Gulf of Mexico (via Reuters)

Shale gas boom slows in Marcellus formation (via Christian Science Monitor/AP)

Illinois fracking rules could be strictest in America (via Midwest Energy News)

RENEWABLES

China on track to exceed targets, install 140GW of wind capacity by 2015 (via Greentech Media)

Why German solar is so much cheaper than US solar – updated study (via CleanTechnica)

Solar PV below $2/watt in Australia (via CleanTechnica)

US bioethanol makers face 5-year EU anti-dumping tariff (via Bloomberg)

New trends in financing wind power (via Greentech Media)

Wind energy records fall in Washington, Texas, Colorado (via EarthTechling)

Bill proposed in Congress would streamline US solar and wind permits (via Recharge)

Wyden floats plan to boost geothermal energy (via The Hill)

Could wind power cool New England’s price fever? (via New York Times)

Federal approval near for sprawling California wind project (via Greenwire)

Offshore wind gets another try in Maryland (via EarthTechling)

TRANSPORTATION

EPA says it will more closely monitor fuel economy claims from automakers (via Autoblog)

What does a sub-$20k EV mean for the industry? (via EarthTechling)

More electric car owners install home charging stations (via Green Car Reports)

ARPA-E funds $20 million to develop energy storage systems for EVs (via Green Car Congress)

CLIMATE

Global warming affects Arctic and Antarctic regions differently (via Phys.org)

Extreme rainfall rises with global temperatures (via Climate Progress)

Tens of thousands demand action on climate change (via USA Today)

Secret funding of climate skeptics is not restricted to the US (via The Guardian)

Two thirds of Americans want Obama to act on climate (via Climate Central)

OIL

Direct threat to Canadian economy posed by US shale oil production (via Edmonton Journal)

Elegiac images from North Dakota’s boom (via New York Times)

EMISSIONS

BASIC countries oppose EU carbon tax model (via Yahoo! News/Hindustan Times)

Obama’s carbon “cavalry” may help revive EU market (via Bloomberg)

Natural gas isn’t the only reason US carbon emissions are falling (via Washington Post)

GRID

Electricity costs up in gas-dependent New England (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Military facilities benefit from using LEED (via Sustainable Cities Collective)

The low-tech solution to big cities’ climate woes: triple-pane windows (via Grist)

Defense Department “should continue” LEED certifications (via Environmental Leader)

COAL

Misunderstanding coal in Europe (via Christian Science Monitor)

Developers drop plans for Texas coal plant (via Houston Chronicle)

After White Stallion power plant canceled, coal faces dark future in Texas (via StateImpact Texas)

ENVIRONMENT

NOAA head: weather forecasts at risk over budget cuts (via Climate Central)

Report points to risk of serious gap in weather satellite data (via New York Times)

The top 10 hardest-hit states for crop damage (via Climate Central)

TESLA-NEW YORK TIMES CONFLICT

Tesla, the New York Times, and the leveling of the media playing field (via PaidContent)

Tesla Model S owners crowdsource trip to counter NYT report (via Green Car Reports)

Sparks fly between Tesla and NYT, but here’s what matters to the rest of us (via OnEarth)

POLITICS

Obama faces risks in pipeline decision (via New York Times)

Keystone for climate: could Obama craft a horse trade? (via Houston Chronicle)

Obama acknowledges climate change difficulties (via Politico)

Billionaire Steyer has unique role in official Washington: climate change radical (via Washington Post)

OPINION

Environmentalists and the military should play nice (via Slate)

Oil and gas feeding off each other while they fuel an economic recovery (via Forbes)

Will shale oil stop the Keystone XL pipeline? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: | Categories: Antarctic, arctic, ARPA-E, australia, barack obama, Bioethanol, biofuel, california, canada, carbon tax, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, colorado, Defense Department, drought, Electric Vehicle, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, EPA, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, EV charger, Extreme weather, fracking, Fuel Economy, geothermal, germany, global warming, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Illinois, Keystone XL, LEED, marcellus shale, maryland, natural gas, Nebraska, New England, News, noaa, north dakota, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, renewables, Ron Wyden, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shale oil, solar, tar sands, texas, Tom Steyer, Transportation, Washington State, wind

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.14.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE

Satellite data reveals major loss in volume of Arctic sea-ice since 2003 (via Green Car Congress)

60% of Americans agree with Obama on climate change action (via Greentech Media)

Major climate change bill coming to US Senate (via The Nation)

The most influential climate science paper today remains unknown to most people (via InsideClimate News)

The $188 billion price tag from US extreme weather from 2011 to 2012 (via Climate Progress)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Pressure builds on Keystone pipeline decision after Obama speech (via Reuters)

Keystone pipeline protesters arrested at White House (via The Hill)

GRID

India faces major energy shortfalls (The National)

CAISO and PacificCorp join forces to boost western grid reliability, integrate renewables (via Renew Grid)

California sets 50MW target for grid energy storage (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES

PwC: shale oil surge poses threat to renewables (via BusinessGreen)

White House outlines request for Congress to create $2 billion green energy fund (via Reuters)

Obama’s energy trust proposal doesn’t include expanded drilling (via Greenwire)

Yet another storm brewing over wind production tax credit (via CleanTechnica)

Net metering debate rages despite calls for calm (via Renewable Energy World)

ERCOT finds 10-13GW of solar PV competitive in Texas power market (via Solar Server)

Conflict of interest: California solar projects compete with prime farmland (via Sustainable Business)

Cape Wind hopes federal loan not blown (via Boston Herald)

In Indiana, seeking to ramp up wind without state mandates (via Midwest Energy News)

OIL

Exxon Mobil grows Arctic reach in Russia (via Houston Chronicle)

Crude oil and gasoline prices will drop through 2014, EIA projects (via Houston Chronicle)

US oil production forecast to increase 40% from 2011 to 2014 (via Facts of the Day)

Using federal oil revenues to cut America’s oil use (via New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION

Electric vehicle charging equipment market to surpass $3.8 billion by 2020 (via Pike Research)

Smart highways to be installed in Netherlands this year (via Triple Pundit)

DOE IG: grant money for battery company not “managed effectively” (via Washington Post)

Fisker Karma drivers averaging 150 mpg (via Autoblog Green)

EMISSIONS

European corporations demand EU carbon market action (via BusinessGreen)

Carbon Disclosure Project investors up 10% in 2013 (via Environmental Leader)

Nations seen going separate ways on carbon as EU efforts falter (via Reuters)

London mayor unveils ultra-low emission zone plan for city (via BusinessGreen)

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas glut leads to tough times for power generators (via Houston Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT

Desalination seen booming at 15% a year as world’s water dries up (via Bloomberg)

South Americans face upheaval in deadly water battles (via Bloomberg)

OPINION

Obama faces clean energy constraints (via Recharge)

Obama’s threat to act unilaterally on climate change looking empty (via Grist)

Obama wants to double US energy efficiency by 2030 – is that possible? (via Washington Post)

Will Chuck Hagel keep DoD’s commitment to renewable energy? (via Sustainable Business)

Posted: | Categories: arctic, arra, barack obama, Barbara Boxer, battery, bernie sanders, Boris Johnson, california, California ISO, cap and trade, cape wind, carbon disclosure project, Carbon market, Carbon pricing, Chuck Hagel, climate, Climate Change, Department of Defense, desalination, drought, electric vehicles, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, environment, ERCOT, EU, europe, ev, EV charging infrastructure, EV charging stations, Exxon Mobil, Fisker Karma, Gasoline, green business, grid, india, indiana, Keystone XL, London, natural gas, Net metering, Netherlands, News, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, PacificCorp, production tax credit, Renewable energy standard, renewables, Russia, Sea ice melt, Shale oil, solar, stimulus, tar sands, texas, Transportation, Water access, Water scarcity, wind

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.12.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

COAL

Coal’s darkest hour: Fitch warns of increased bankruptcy possibilities in US coal sector (via International Business Times)

EMISSIONS

Investors worth $87 trillion call on companies to reveal carbon data (via RTCC)

Carbon markets threatened if EU backload plan fails (via Bloomberg)

Critics blast “target-less” Irish climate bill (via BusinessGreen)

Energy-related carbon emissions lowest since 1994 (via Greentech Media)

OIL

Shell will repair rigs in Asia, possibly delaying Arctic drilling in 2013 (via Houston Chronicle)

The boom in US oil drilling hasn’t lowered gas prices (via Washington Post)

RENEWABLES

Global wind capacity increased almost 20% in 2012 to 82 gigawatts (via Climate Progress)

Corn shortage idles 20 Midwest ethanol plants (via Boston Globe/AP)

Solar outside the Sunbelt: Michigan (via Greentech Media)

ARPA-E summit hosts next generation renewable technologies (via Sustainable Business)

GREEN JOBS

EU budget delivers “mixed news” for green economy (via BusinessGreen)

State of Green Business Report 2013 (via GreenBiz)

Are green jobs meant to help the economy or the jobless? (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS

German minister dashes hopes for shale gas fracking (via Reuters)

“There’s no way to tell” how much gas the US can produce (via EnergyWire)

Cuomo warned on fracking in Iowa ads (via Politico)

CLIMATE

New Harvard report probes security risks of extreme weather and climate change (via Phys.org)

Wanted: business leaders to aid Obama on climate (via Politico)

Climate change impact on Nor’easters: an increased storm surge threat (via Weather Underground)

Hurricane Sandy survivors demand climate change action from Obama (via Huffington Post)

Hollywood actors press Obama to fight climate change (via The Hill)

ENVIRONMENT

IEA says energy industry in trouble with future water usage (via CleanTechnica)

Group seeks to jump-start ocean protections (via New York Times)

Rich moisture feed helped blizzard bury Northeast (via Climate Central)

GREEN BUILDING

Government considers replacing LEED as preferred federal certification (via Triple Pundit)

Cool steps help fight global warming (via San Francisco Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION

Plugging in, Dutch put electric cars to the test (via New York Times)

America’s high speed rail dream: what it could look like (via EarthTechling)

GRID

CA-ISO release app that shows status of power grid (via Renew Grid)

POLITICS

Obama expected to announce executive action on climate during State of the Union speech (via The Hill)

MIT physicist Moniz seen as front-runner to replace Chu (via Greenwire)

OPINION

Never mind the State of the Union; here’s what Obama can actually do on climate (via Grist)

The state of our energy union is strongest in 40 years (via Facts of the Day)

Why Big Ag could become major fracking ally (via Sustainable Business)

Obama’s Keystone XL decision could doom the tar sands…or the planet (via Grist)

Why the fight over natural gas exports may be overblown (via Washington Post)

Will Ernest Moniz be the next Energy secretary? (via Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: | Categories: Andrew Cuomo, arctic, ARPA-E, barack obama, Cal-ISO, california, cap and trade, Carbon market, climate, Climate Change, coal, Cool roofs, drought, electric vehicles, emissions, environment, Ernest Moniz, ethanol, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, Gasoline, germany, green building, green jobs, grid, Harvard, high speed rail, Hurricane Sandy, Iowa, Ireland, Keystone XL, LEED, michigan, MIT, natural gas, Natural gas exports, Netherlands, new york state, News, offshore drilling, oil, renewables, Severe weather, Shale gas, Shell, solar, state of the union, tar sands, Transportation, Water scarcity, White roofs, wind

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.6.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE

USDA: climate change could devastate US agriculture (via USA Today)

Preparing for the rising tide across New England (via CLF Scoop)

How climate change impacts America’s energy infrastructure (via WRI Insights)

Warm weather forces changes ahead of Iditarod race (via New York Times)

Boston mayor calls on city to prepare for climate change (via Reuters)

New York Governor seeking home buyouts in flood zones (via New York Times)

Alaska climate taskforce hasn’t met since 2011, documents show (via The Guardian)

EMISSIONS

UK emissions fall seven percent in 2011 as gas use plunges (via BusinessGreen)

White House weighs emissions rules for power plants (via Wall Street Journal)

EPA: power plants accounted for two-thirds of US industrial emissions in 2011 (via The Hill)

CARB chair Mary Nichols discusses state carbon trading (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES

Solar PV installations hit 32GW in 2012, 35GW projected for 2013 (via CleanTechnica)

Wind could power nine million homes in Eastern Europe (via BusinessGreen)

Europe’s first wind-powered province touts renewables as key to recovery (via BusinessGreen)

New German wind installations expected to top “up to 3.5GW this year” (via Recharge)

Norway expects onshore wind lift-off (via Recharge)

Wind energy fund plans $320 million IPO with UK government backing (via Reuters)

Novel designs are taking wind power to the next level (via MIT Technology Review)

US solar will eclipse wind in 2013, says Duke Energy (via Bloomberg)

Midwest gets into clean tech investing with energy foundry (via Greentech Media)

Beyond tax incentives: how to make solar attractive to universities (via Good)

ENERGY POLICY

Time for change: China flags peak in coal usage (via Sydney Morning Herald)

Canada set to cut direct spending on fossil fuel sector (via Reuters)

Seattle and San Francisco consider divesting from fossil fuels (via Grist)

OIL

Deep-sea drilling muddles political waters (via New York Times)

Canada not ready for major offshore spill, says environmental agency (via Reuters)

North Dakota’s Bakken Oil finally hits the East Coast (via Bloomberg Businessweek)

As profits sag, BP girds for “trial of the year” (via Forbes)

TRANSPORTATION

China to roll out cleaner fuel standards, says government (via Reuters)

Better Place to shut down US, Australian operations (via Forbes)

Americans now spending most on gas since early 1980s (via Washington Post)

Toyota recycles hybrid batteries into energy management systems (via CleanTechnica)

Boeing 787 batteries: what’s causing their “thermal runaways?” (via Christian Science Monitor)

UPS deploys 100 commercial EVs in California (via Green Car Congress)

Volt owners are almost equally Republicans & Democrats (via CleanTechnica)

ENVIRONMENT

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron hit all-time low water levels (via Weather Underground)

Some parts of Texas approaching worst-ever drought (via Star-Telegram/AP)

Wyoming explores oil-gas regulations for groundwater testing (via Casper Star-Tribune)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Alberta may offer more environmental initiatives to smooth way for Keystone XL (via Yahoo! News/Reuters)

Debunking Nature’s arguments in favor of Keystone XL (via Grist)

GREEN BUSINESS

How to get your CFO to love your sustainability director (via GreenBiz)

Alaskan Brewing Company runs on energy generated by its own beer (via AP)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

MIT engineers develop process to treat produced water from natgas wells at low cost (via Green Car Congress)

Shale industry moves to ship fracking waste via barge down Ohio River (via DeSmog Blog)

Former PA Governor Rendell intervened on behalf of gas driller in Texas contamination case (via StateImpact Texas)

VEHICLE-TO-GRID

Connecting EVs to the grid – NREL takes the lead (via CleanTechnica)

Pentagon places $20 million bet on vehicle-to-grid technology (via Greenwire)

POLITICS

Waxman to push for Congressional climate hearings (via The Hill)

Can Congress ever agree on climate change? An interview with Henry Waxman (via Washington Post)

Obama to nominate CEO of REI for Interior Secretary (via Washington Post)

OPINION

How can we prepare for climate change without screwing poor people? (via Grist)

Work less, save the planet? (via Mother Jones)

Analysts: energy policy not keeping pace with technology (via Houston Chronicle)

Will climate change be President Obama’s legacy? (via EarthTechling)

Posted: | Categories: alaska, Alberta, Andrew Cuomo, australia, Bakken Shale, barack obama, Batteries, better place, Boeing Dreamliner, Boston, BP, california, california air resources board, canada, CARB, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Divestment, drought, duke energy, Ed Rendell, electric vehicles, emissions, energy storage, environment, EPA, europe, ev, fracking, Fracking wastewater, Fuel standard, Gasoline, germany, global warming, green business, Henry Waxman, hybrid, Iditarod, Illinois, interior department, Keystone XL, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Mary Nichols, MIT, natural gas, New England, new york state, News, north dakota, norway, NREL, Offshore drilling Oil spill, Ohio, oil, renewables, Sally Jewell, san francisco, Sea level rise, seattle, Shale gas, Shale oil, solar, Subsidies, tar sands, Tax incentives, texas, Tom Menino, Toyota, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, ups, usda, V2G, wind, wyoming

Feb

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.1.13 share

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

OIL

Mystery oil sheen grows near site of BP Gulf disaster (via NBC News)

EMISSIONS

US carbon emissions fall to lowest levels since 1994 (via The Guardian)

Guidelines issues to ensure captured carbon stays sequestered (via BusinessGreen)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS

Keystone pipeline decision to languish until mid-June (via Reuters)

RENEWABLES

Clean energy in Europe suffering from falling CO2 prices (via Energy Collective)

German solar FIT to decline 2.2% monthly through April (via Recharge)

Greece sees impressive solar PV growth despite banking crisis (via Renewable Energy World)

Italian town runs solely on wind, sells the rest (via Sustainable Business)

Biofuel-blending battle rages on as EPA releases new projections (via The Hill)

GE introduces wind turbine for low-wind sites (via Energy Manager Today)

Seven projects looking to use big data to cut the cost of solar power (via GigaOm)

After delays, Maine approves offshore wind farm (via CLF Scoop)

ENERGY INDUSTRY

The US has some of the lowest energy taxes in the developed world (via Washington Post)

Transformation in US power supply breeds emissions success, grid challenges (via Houston Chronicle)

US utilities expect more environmental regulations during 2^nd Obama term (via Environmental Leader)

Renewables in bed with natural gas? (via Mother Jones)

TRANSPORTATION

Nissan will triple number of EV fast chargers in US (via Autoblog Green)

EV Everywhere Blueprint outlines DOE EV goals for 2022 (via Green Car Congress)

69% of US voters support stricter auto emission standards (via Environmental Leader)

Tesla’s Musk calls Boeing 787 Dreamliner batteries “fundamentally unsafe” (via Autoblog Green)

More EV loans “remains to be seen,” Chu says (via Bloomberg)

Big price declines in 2013 EVs: price cuts put EVs on the road (via Facts of the Day)

Hertz adds Chevy Volt to car-sharing service, targets students (via Green Car Reports)

Dreamliner’s woes hearten foes (via Politico)

ENVIRONMENT

Australian government pledges to protect Great Barrier Reef (via Reuters)

EU proposes to ban insecticides linked to bee decline (via BusinessGreen)

US drought hangs tough through January (via Climate Central)

Survey of nation’s largest cities finds water supplies not as threatened as believed (via Phys.org)

GRID

Smart grid sector sees $434M in VC funding, $17B in M&A transactions (via Renew Grid)

SDG&E strives to develop ‘self-healing’ grid (via Renew Grid)

The (wrong) report on Silver Spring’s IPO chances (via Greentech Media)

GREEN BUSINESS

2013 policy priorities for sustainable and responsible investors (via GreenBiz)

CLIMATE

Philippine government says climate change is top priority (via Sustainable Business)

Planting trees may not reverse climate change but it will help local cooling (via Phys.org)

Climate scientists erring on the side of least drama (via Skeptical Science)

Alaska natives try to flee climate impacts but find little help (via ClimateWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Sacramento launches $100-million energy retrofit fund (via Forbes)

Washington DC requires commercial buildings to track energy and water use (via CleanTechnica)

COAL

Why the US coal industry is so worried (via Sightline Daily)

Half of Washington State residents support coal export terminal (via Seattle Met)

POLITICS

Hagel vows DoD focus on alternative fuels, energy efficiency if confirmed (via The Hill)

Hagel’s other label: anti-green (via Politico)

Sen. Carper plans renewed push for offshore wind credit legislation (via The Hill)

Right place, wrong time for secretary candidate with gold-plated resume? (via Greenwire)

OPINION

Mr. President, there’s a major flaw in your solution to climate change (via Take Part)

Can Obama do for the grid what Eisenhower did for highways? (via New York Times)

Posted: | Categories: Afforestation, alaska, australia, Auto emissions, barack obama, battery, Bees, biofuels, Boeing Dreamliner, BP, california, carbon capture, Carbon capture & sequestration, Carbon pricing, ccs, chevy volt, Chuck Hagel, climate, Climate Change, Climate scientists, coal, Coal exports, Department of Defense, DoD, DOE, drought, electric vehicles, Elon Musk, emissions, Energy benchmarking, Energy Efficiency, Energy retrofits, energy tax, environment, EPA, EU, europe, European Union, ev, EV charger, feed-in tariff, FIT, GE, germany, Great Barrier Reef, Greece, green business, grid, Gulf of Mexico, Hertz, Insecticides, italy, Maine, natural gas, News, Nissan, NRG, offshore wind, oil, oil spill, Philippines, renewables, Sacramento, solar, steven chu, Tesla, Tom Carper, Transportation, Washington DC, Washington State, Water, wind

Category Archives:environment

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